‘Alex Polizzi effect’ triples bookings at Lakes boutique

Gilpin Hotel and Lake House in Cumbria has experienced a surge in demand after appearing on the new Alex Polizzi BBC show, Chefs on Trial.

The 26-bed boutique hotel in the Lake District was first featured on the new series in April, as owners the Cunliffe family searched for a new executive head chef, aided by The Hotel Inspector herself, Polizzi.

Since the programme aired, bedroom bookings have risen, afternoon tea and dinner bookings have tripled and hits on its website have increased from 1,000 a day to 25,000 on April 20 when the show went out.

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The Cunliffe family searched for a year for a new chef to win them a Michelin-star before being approached by BBC Two for the new programme.

Speaking to The Telegraph, The Gilpin’s managing director Barney Cunliffe said: “The short-term spontaneous bookings have trebled and that will continue for a few months.

“Longer term, people making bookings to come to a hotel like this won’t just decide to go away because they’ve seen the television programme but when they do, they will think of us. I’m expecting to be full for the majority of this year.”

The winner of the show and the hotel’s new executive head chef, Hrishikesh Desai, started in his role three weeks ago, but had to be kept a secret until the final was aired in last Thursday’s episode.

Mr Desai is a Roux Scholar and former national chef of the year, and trained under three-Michelin-starred chef Thomas Keller.